There was a good reason why the illustration of a shepherd with his sheep was used so often in biblical times ... because it was an illustration people could easily identify with in their cultural context. The illustrations we use are most effective when they are understood easily by the culture to which God has sent us to minister. Middle eastern cultures understood what shepherding was all about. It was about feeding the lambs and the sheep, bringing them to good pasture lands and water, grooming and clipping them, delivering new lambs, leading them and teaching them to stay together, going off after the wandering lost ones, and protecting the sheep in the field and in the fold. We are all under shepherds and Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd. We need to emulate what the Good Shepherd does for the sheep

Power To Stand Ministries (PTS) is a website ministry that functions as an informational resource to any and all who have questions about the Christian faith. The intent of this site is to be a growing apologetic archive that will provide biblical answers for matters of Christian faith, Bible studies, sermon outlines, and commentary on crucial issues that face the church today.

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DITC e-NewsletterVolume 31, Issue 5

Dear All,

In his final articles in Mike Oppenheimer's series on Anna Mendez Ferrell he details the level to which the New Apostolic false apostles and false prophets have sunk in promoting false spiritual warfare. Not only that, but this incident continually promoted by Wagner and friends as legitimate "spiritual warfare" will shock and surprise you since it happened so long ago. It just shows why Biblical Christians have almost nothing in common with these people. If they started out so badly then where they are today proves why no Christian should follow them.

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Ana Mendez battles the 'Queen of heaven' on the World's Tallest Mountain

by Mike Oppenheimer, 12/13/10

Their climb on Mt. Everest to defeat the Queen of Heaven, what really happened?

Letter to the Editor: Contemplative Prayer Alive and "Well" in American Churches

at Lighthouse Trails, 12/19/10This fall I ordered Ray Yungen's book, A Time of Departing, and was also sent Roger Oakland's book, Faith Undone. Thank you! I first devoured Ray's book and finished Roger's this morning. "Speechless" is how I feel! I hardly know what to say, except that I am very grateful for their research and writing. Ten years ago I may have wondered what it was they were upset about; however, in recent years I can attest personally to some of these atrocities within the church. A few years ago, we were members of a PCUSA church in which the associate pastor and his wife (dear friends) delved full-speed into studies, sessions, and retreats on Prayer (contemplative, meditative, breath, Taize, etc.). I participated but all the while sensed there was something not right about all of it. All of what Ray and Roger mention regarding contemplative prayer and related mysticism is definitely alive and well. And, we are in a mid-size midwest town.Click here to read this article!

Changing the World

by Pastor Anton Bosch, 12/19/10We all long for a righteous and just society where God's laws are respected and where people all do the right thing. There is nothing wrong with that desire as I believe that is in line with God's plan also. But the question is how do we get the world from its current state to that ideal state?Click here to read this article!

Here is Your God! (Audio Series)

by Allistair Begg, 12/10If you travel to India, you'll encounter a culture that is governed by the worship of hundreds of deities. Western society is no different, although our gods and idols tend to be much more subtle. But what are these gods and idols? Are they real? How do they measure up to the God of the Bible? Any agent of the treasury knows that the best way to identify a counterfeit is to study the real thing. The same is true with God: we can identify false gods best by studying and knowing the one true God. In this series of messages, Alistair Begg examines the character traits of God that He reveals to us in the Bible and through the incarnation of His Son, Jesus Christ. Learn how the true God differs from the false idols we all set up in our hearts and how a relationship with this God should impact every aspect of our lives.Click here to listen to this series!

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